Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court has granted a N10 million bail to about 67 minors who were arraigned for participating in the August 2024 End Bad Governance protests, News About Nigeria reports.
They are expected to present one surety who must be a civil servant, as they are below the age of 15.
It was also gathered that some malnourished minors who were part of those detained over the protests since August by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) collapsed in court during the arraignment.
A source who spoke on condition of anonymity lamented the poor treatment of the minors, accusing authorities of weaponizing hunger to torture the protesters for committing no offense other than exercising their constitutional rights.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has also reacted to the ill treatment meted out to the protesters.
Obi, in a statement on Friday, described the situation as disturbing and condemnable. He stressed that the malnourished and starved condition of the protesters, especially the minors, should alarm the conscience of every citizen in the country, adding that their only offense was to protest against the bad governance affecting the livelihoods of every Nigerian.
While expressing gratitude to the presiding judge for halting the trial, Obi called on relevant authorities, including the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, the Police, and the DSS, as well as the National Human Rights Commission, to thoroughly investigate such inhumane treatment of minors.
The statement reads in part: “I just watched the disturbing and condemnable scenes captured in a circulating video, showing 124 protesters—among them minors—appearing in court today as part of efforts to secure the enforcement of their fundamental rights.
“The footage reveals minors, some so weak that they could barely stand, and others fainting from sheer exhaustion and lack of nourishment. These children appeared visibly malnourished and starved—a condition that should alarm the conscience of every citizen in our nation.
“From their appearance, they were poorly treated despite being in the custody of the federal government of Nigeria.
The offense being alleged against these suspects, including minors, is protesting against bad governance that is directly affecting their livelihood and which our constitution under a democratic dispensation guarantees them. Curiously, most of the people in government today leveraged this aspect of the Constitution, standing as champions of good governance while in opposition.
“May I appreciate the presiding judge for halting the trial and saving the country from further embarrassment that it would have faced as a democratic nation?
“I would like to call on relevant authorities, especially the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, the Police, and the DSS, as well as the National Human Rights Commission, to thoroughly investigate such inhumane treatment of minors to avert such incidents in the future.”
Meanwhile, another 87 adults are currently being arraigned on the same charges. They were arraigned in court today on ten counts bordering on alleged treason, conspiracy to commit a felony with intent to destabilize Nigeria, which is contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act.
